The Marlins announced tonight that they have acquired righty Nick Anderson from the Twins in exchange for infielder Brian Schales. To create roster space, the Marlins designated Derek Dietrich for assignment.
Bumping Dietrich from the roster will mean avoiding a significant salary for the rebuilding Marlins. MLBTR had projected a $4.8MM salary in his second-to-last season of arbitration eligibility. It’s still possible a trade will be worked out or that he’ll be claimed over the week to come.
The 29-year-old Dietrich has never comfortably found a defensive fit, though he has appeared at second, third, and the corner outfield and thereby offers at least hypothetical versatility. He’s valued mostly for his steady left-handed bat, which has produced solidly above-average numbers for each of the past four seasons. Most recently, he slashed .265/.330/.421 with 16 home runs in 551 plate appearances.
While he largely maintained his prior level of performance with the bat in 2018, it wasn’t Dietrich’s finest effort. His strikeout rate spiked to a career-high 25.4% while his walk rate dropped to 5.3%. That said, Dietrich was also exposed to left-handed pitching a bit more than he had been, with the resulting 34:1 K/BB mix in 106 plate appearances hardly helping the stat sheet.
Teams considering Dietrich will likely consider him as an option to plug in the lineup in various places against right-handed pitching. He could make particular sense for an American League club that intends to chop up some of its playing time at DH or even first base.
Anderson, 28, was due for Rule 5 protection and will get it from the Miami organization. He was slow to reach and progress through the professional ranks but has impressed upon reaching the upper minors. Last year, working at Triple-A, he turned in sixty frames of 3.30 ERA ball with 13.2 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9.
As for the 22-year-old Schales, he was a fourth-round pick in 2014 who topped out at the Double-A level last year. He turned in his best offensive season as a professional, slashing .258/.354/.403 with ten home runs in 490 plate appearances.
Wow! Time for Dietrich to come home to Cleveland and platoon in RF. The Tribe has exact one more 40 Man slot open.
Are you sure about the Tribe having an open 40 spot?? Listing at the mlb site shows roster full at 40..
I’m a fan of Dietrich & would like to see him playing in Cleveland as well but it would mean cutting someone from the 40 man…
Wouldnt be a bad idea for the Braves to pick him up. Rf with decent pop. Id take a chance on him.
What team will give Dietrich a chance? He can play multiple positions and has a bit of pop.
The twins might be interested
He won’t be out of work very long…
This seems like this has pirates written all over it.
Fits the Angels needs as well.
Not really, the Angels need a right handed hitting outfielder/first baseman type who can platoon with Calhoun.
I’ve wanted the Indians to get Dietrich for a while, and hopefully now they will. He’s a good bench bat that could play an outfield corner or see time at second if for some reason Jose Ramirez stayed at third. Plus he’s from the area, which always seems to be a big deal.
He fits almost everybody
Except one of the worst team in the MLB
$$$$
Yankees are such a good fit. Can play 1st and second, short porch was made for him.
Only question is his glove at 2nd? Is he workable?
Screw it. For the price it’ll work. Cut Cessa and give the spot to this dude. We’re looking for a utility guy. If they are DFA him that means it won’t take much to get him.
He’s arbitration eligible, that doesn’t change if he changes teams, right?
That does not change but he could agree to any deal and forgo arbitration if he chooses to
They just used Derek as the model for their new uniforms. Haha
No one is safe on that team. Not even the mascot.
Wow. He strikes out 25% of the time and can play multiple positions? Sounds like a perfect fit for the dodgers.
Ha! You’re not wrong
He would be an ideal fit for most any club that’s looking for a solid left handed bat, very versatile. Can only assume the Marlins will look to get the most for him if he is claimed, to make up for prospects they could have acquired in previous trades. He’s a solid player, he won’t be out of work for long
He won’t be claimed and, as a result, the Marlins will not receive any prospects.
Besides, Fish could’ve traded him long time ago
So if he is cut loose does his new team still have to offer him arbitration?
Yep, they will have to work out something or go to arbitration
Yes
Short answer is yes, if he’s claimed. So he might pass through. But Marlins would be on the hook for his salary if he clears, so I’m guessing somebody places a claim and gets for for nothing.
I don’t think the Marlins have to tender him a contract if he clears waivers. He would become a free agent.
If he is claimed, yes, the claiming team would need to tender a contract, which would lead to arbitration (if a contract isn’t agreed to).
At a projected $4.8M salary, I doubt a claiming team would do so with the intent of having him as a bench piece.
My guess is he clears waivers, becomes a FA, and signs with a team for less than the projected arb salary. See Chris Carter as an example – non-tendered in Dec 2015 by HOU due to a projected $4+M contract. Instead he signed with MIL as a FA for $2.5M in ’16.
He doesn’t have a contract by virtue of the fact that he’s arb-eligible. If he clears waivers, he has the service time to elect free agency, which he would do. He’d then be eligible to sign anywhere and would remain arb-eligible next winter — if he signs a 1-year deal. But he’d also be free to sign a multi-year deal if there was sufficient interest.
Thanks everyone!
Ghost of Bobby….”Marlins would be in the hook” lol
*on
I would think the St Louis Cardinals could use him.
I agree he would be a good bench utility player!!
The Cardinals have plenty of corner OFers and 2nd/3rd base options.
But can’t hit & not Herod defensively. I give you Carpenter!
Any team in the MLB can use Dietrich. Except for an incompetent one like Miami.
Can you explain to me why the Marlins, with new ownership with their own agenda, would want to keep a relatively high cost veteran when they won’t compete for a few years and need playing time/spots for their younger players? I don’t like this because there’s an abysmal player still on the roster (Yadiel Rivera), but I can understand why they did.
You’re comment is not very educated my friend. Marlins save 4-5 million off their payroll. Dietrich at best, is a bench bat on a playoff team and even at that, he’s not very good. Marlins have no use for the guy right now and are smart to open up playing time for younger, controllable players.
Someone will pick up Dietrich for a bench piece.
Orioles ,if he gets out of the NL.
The Orioles have top waiver priority. League-specific priority only applies in August.
I can’t say that I knew that. Thanks, Steve.
Angels need a versatile player badly. Go get Derek, Billy.
Hate to say this but things are working together in DC get this guy on the cheap to platoon with Kendrick at second. then throw the bank at Corbin and Keuchel..ok dream over
He killed the Mets so many times – I’d love it if they could grab him just for that reason!
I think Dietrich fits as a great bench Bat for the Braves. He can play 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and LF. He can be the LH bat they have needed since Eric Hinske left the Braves.
They have Culberson and carmargo could play all those positions too and offer better production. Im a Braves fan but we are stocked as far as infield goes. We need to focus on Corner OF, Catcher, back end relief, a quality bench OF and maybe a a top tier Starting Pitcher. We have trade chips and cash so hopefully we meet all those needs.
The bench sux completely. We have no bench, I don’t want him As a starter I want him as a Left Handed Bech Bat, which the Braves currently do not have. Camargo is the Starting 3B. Culberson is your Backup SS. There has to be 3 bench pieces added this off season. There needs to be 2 bench OF added & 1 bench utility guy, who hits LH and has some power. Dietrich fills that void.
Hunter Renfroe and Kirby Yates for Bryse Wilson+ ?
I want Cameron Maybin back as a 4th OF
Can play all 3 positions and was successful playing for the Braves already.
Need OFers instead
Have enjoyed watching him play. Hard-nosed player. Thought he’d be a great guy off the bench for a contending team.
When I saw the headline I figured people here would make fun of his stats. I’d come on and defend him.
A bit stunned that most commentators so far tonight would love to have him on their team. IMO, lots of sharp posters here.
There are worse “pieces” out there than Dietrich, but PLEASE, enough about his versatility. He’s pretty terrible everywhere. In a pinch, sure, but you’re asking to get your heart broke by letting him play in the field. And he DOES play hard and smart.
That said, he’s worth it for a bench guy/fill in; and the fact that you can put him anywhere is a plus. Thinking the Cards, Nats….a poor man’s Marwin for Houston……there are spots, even with his arb #……
I don’t understand Jeter why letting him go when you can get some value for him??? can somebody explain
Do you think teams just cut guys before asking all other teams if they want the player?
Marlins should have gotten something for him or keep him til September trade deadline. Teams are always looking for bench depth. Marlins could have sent $ if they felt arbitration was going to be costly. At least they could have gotten a young prospect. Here they get nothing. Then when he does well, people will bring up the guy was cut by the worst team in the league.
Look at the posts on here, most teams would want him.
Well yeah, a few weeks ago the Indians I think it was had interest in Dietrich, and he fits every team, can play multiple positions and has pop on the bat. Maybe has to be more with money than trade interest.
Wouldn’t mind the Phillies getting him. They could flip Cesar for some value and finally stop f*cking with Kingery.
Come on Milwaukee
The Spewers will be fine and stinky
They already have this player in Perez
This is Marlins news and you all are talking about the Indians?
He’s from the Cleveland area so that’s fueled a lot of the speculation about them
Wouldn’t mind the braves taking a flyer on DD. Bring him back near where he went to college at Tech, and would be a solid bench piece…
If Riley is as good as advertised and can play third as well as Camargo I would move Camargo to SS. When he played there while Dansby wa injured he showed more range and a stronger arm.. I like Dansby’s hustle I don t think he will hit as well as Camargo and with less power
Would also like to see Braves trade for Marlins catcher(can’t remember his name) we need better production at that position with loss of Suzuki in free agency. I would have kept him and let other catcher go